8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.9 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.9 |
On October 29th and 30th, 2009, rock 'n' roll royalty held court at Madison Square Garden for what haven been called "the best concerts ever," where "rock 'n' roll history was made."
Starring: Tom Hanks, Jackson Browne, Clarence Clemons, David Crosby, John FogertyMusic | 100% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Hello. My name is Jeff, and I am a Time-Life junkie. There, I’ve admitted it, you know my dirty little secret and I won’t even ask you not to judge me. I’m not sure where my oh so slight obsession with Time-Life products began, but I think it was probably when I was a kid and my Mom must have subscribed to one of the Time-Life book series. I just remember how wonderful it was every 4-6 weeks to see that big cardboard package come in the mail, and then getting to leaf through what was usually a gorgeously bound, oversized book stuffed to the gills with great photos, illustrations and actual informative and engaging text. As I got older I moved on to Time-Life audio products, including their wonderful CEDAR remasterings of vintage Big Band recordings. Some of the Time-Life enterprises were marginal at best—I still remember subscribing to a gigantic LP series called As You Remember Them, which “recreated” pop hits of the past 50 years (past meaning anything pre-1970s) in exciting, clean, magical Stereo! Let’s just say that while the instrumental recreations were always faithful to the originals, the attempts to mimic well known vocalists. . .weren’t. But Time-Life flops were really pretty rare and though loving any given Time-Life series may mark the individual consumer as a hopeless member of the bourgeoisie, I for one couldn’t care less. My kids have regularly turned to a number of Time-Life book series in my home for school research on everything from world history to mythology, and I have at least a few Time-Life CD series that I regularly listen to. So I was perhaps pre-sold on the idea of Time-Life entering the Blu-ray arena, albeit with a standalone title that is not part of an “every 4-6 weeks” series, Time-Life’s regular marketing calling card. But nothing really could have prepared me for the unbelievable, and really surprisingly emotional, experience of watching and listening to The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts.
The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Concerts is presented on Blu-ray by Time-Life with an appealing VC-1 encoded image in 1080i and 1.78:1. There aren't a whole lot of bells and whistles in the stage presentation, other than some pretty multi-colored lights, but sharpness and saturation here are top notch. Detail, especially in close-ups, is often exceptional, and in fact a little distressing when one gets an up close and personal look at an aging demigod one remembers in all their youthful glory, or when one if forced to wonder what in heck Paul Simon's bright blue jacket is made out of, sharkskin or velour. The hard working artists can clearly be seen working up a sweat more than a few times. Black levels and contrast are also spot on, with even the darkened stage never obscuring the artists and back up musicians. The only anomaly was very occasional aliasing on a couple of unexpected items like a microphone stand, of all things. Other than that, this is a top flight video presentation.
Two thumpingly good lossless tracks are offered on this Blu-ray, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix and a DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo fold down. Both of these tracks set the bar wonderfully high for rock Blu-rays, with brilliantly clear fidelity, robust lows, full and ample middles, and crystalline, though never brittle, highs. (It should be noted that the special still contains a Dolby Digital 5.1 logo as it starts, but don't get worried, these Blu-rays do indeed offer only lossless audio). The humongous auditorium which is Madison Square Garden has some pretty overwhelming built in reverb, but while the 5.1 track certainly is spacious sounding, there's never any echo or in fact over the top audience noise to drown out the magnificent music. The great thing about this mix is how it is so faithful to quieter, almost quasi-acoustic sets, like the Simon & Garfunkel outing, to the amped up head banging excesses of Metallica. Through it all, surround immersion is virtually nonstop, instruments are discretely presented in individual channels, and vocals are always mixed perfectly into the overall soundfield. For a music release, this is most definitely a reference quality disc.
Aside from some unedited and bonus footage in the concerts themselves which didn't make it unexpurgated to the HBO broadcast version, there are two sets of bonus segments, one on each disc, totaling an additional 67:06 of HD footage. Disc One includes CS&N (with guests) doing Mexico and Teach Your Children; Stevie Wonder (with Legend) doing Uptight, I Was Made to Love Her, Signed, Sealed, Delivered and Mery, Mercy Me; and Simon & Garfunkel doing Mrs. Robinson/Fade Away. Disc Two's extras include Metallica doing Turn the Page and the unedited version of Iron Man/Paranoid; U2 (with Black Eyed Peas) doing Mysterious Ways and Where Is the Love/One; Jeff Beck doing Freeway Jam and Big Block; Springsteen (with Morello) doing London Calling; and the unedited version of the Jackie Wilson tribute. Additionally Disc Two contains a Photo Gallery. The duofold case includes a great illustrated booklet with a wealth of background information, and there's also a postpaid mail in card that gives you a free 12 issue subscription to Rolling Stone.
Those of you who keep track of my reviews know I do a lot of "high brow" classical, opera and ballet releases, though truth be told, I love rock music just as much. I'm a sentimental fool at times, and am not particularly ashamed to admit I got surprisingly emotional seeing all these great artists performing together. With a lineup like this 2 Blu-ray set offers, and a superior image and especially sound quality, this is one of the leading contenders for music Blu-ray release of 2010. In fact, if you have a classic rock lover in your life, your shopping quandary for the holidays is conclusively over. The only question is, is there another volume coming in 4-6 weeks? Very highly recommended.
2004-2013
2007
2008
2007
2003
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1987
2008
Live from Madison Square Garden
2008
2009
2009
1981
2008
2008
2007
2008
The Rolling Stones
2008
2007
U2360° at the Rose Bowl
2009
2012